


Cage

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [22]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 21:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7729804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident prompts Katja to tell Avalon about her past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cage

An emergency meeting had been called by the druid council. Louisa had reported that Nihili was on the loose, although she was weak at the moment after coming through the portal. She was also a little preoccupied with her girlfriend.

“We have to put our asset somewhere safe,” said one of the elder druids.

“The asset has a name,” said Katja with a roll of her eyes.

“We aren’t using it because there may be spies or bugging equipment,” said another elder.

“Bugging equipment? Dark Core is as up to date with technology as you guys,” said Katja.

“I do agree that she should be kept safe, though,” said Alex.

“But where?” asked an elder. 

“I know of somewhere,” said another elder. This one had a female voice.

“Oh? And where is that?” asked Elizabeth.

“Admittedly, it’s where we keep our beasts,” said the elder female.

“Really?” asked Elizabeth. “You want to put her there?”

“Where?” asked Katja.

“I know where it is. I can take her there,” said Avalon. Katja frowned in confusion.

“Where?” asked Katja again. She had to resist the urge to stamp her foot in frustration. She’d been an honorary member for months, and they still weren’t telling her anything.

“Come on,” said Avalon.

“I’m coming too,” said Alex. “She’s my girlfriend, I want to be with her.” She took Katja’s hand, eliciting a grateful smile from her girlfriend.

“Alright,” said Avalon. “Let’s go.”

Katja followed the druid from the Stone Circle, jumping Stalker over the break in the bridge. Avalon just floated over it, and Alex chuckled.

“Cheater,” said Alex, jumping Tin Can over the gap.

They walked down a rocky road, then Avalon entered a cave. The two girls dismounted before following him in. Alex lit a ball of electricity in her hand and sent it up, along with a few others, for light. It was silent save for the crackling electricity and the sound of their breaths.

The light shone on something metal at the back of the cave, and Katja stopped.

“No,” said Katja, trembling. At her back, Stalker sensed her distress and nuzzled her shoulder.

“It will keep you safe,” said Avalon. “The bars are enchanted and have runes so that nobody can get in.”

“Or out,” said Katja, her breaths coming faster now. Her heartbeat was so loud that she felt sure that everyone could hear it.

“Avalon, she’s scared,” said Alex. “Don’t make her go in there.” Katja looked to her girlfriend with wide, frightened eyes. Alex knew exactly why she was scared.

“If Dark Core captures you, they will put you in a cage too,” said Avalon. “And they will not give you a choice.”

“Can’t you just put me in a safe house or something?” asked Katja.

“They will get you easily there,” said Avalon.

It seemed as though the cave was filling with blackness. Katja whimpered as she had to fight back memories of the other cage. The one that had stank of iron, even though it had been made of some other material. One that held her there. She was paralysed again, terrified, watching as knives cut into flesh and magic was used to bind and brainwash and all she could do was scream.

“Please don’t put her in there,” said Alex. A sudden, sharp spike of magic in the cave made her eyes widen. “Don’t-“

“I don’t care, I’m not getting in a cage, not again!” Katja lashed out at Avalon, her newly-appeared claws slashing through Avalon’s hood where his face would be.

And just like that, the lab turned back into a cave. Katja gasped in air, feeling sensation returning to her limbs that had gone numb with fear. Her hand was unusually warm, and she cringed as she saw the blood on it.

“Oh Goddess, I didn’t hurt you, did I?” asked Katja, frantically looking Alex over.

“I’m fine,” said Alex. She stepped closer to Katja, offering support.

“Then who-“ Katja looked around, then saw the tears in Avalon’s hood. “Oh my gosh, Avalon, I’m so sorry.”

“It is fine,” said Avalon. “I don’t have a face anyway.”

“You did when I…” Katja looked at her bloodied hand, but that reminded her of another bloodied hand, so she looked away and fought back the rising bile.

“No, I should have listened to you, Alex,” said Avalon. “And you, Katja. I am sorry.”

“It’s…” Katja shivered, and Alex’s arms around here was the only thing holding her up. She sobbed into Alex’s shoulder, glad that at least she didn’t feel sick anymore.

“Can she or you tell me what this is all about?” asked Avalon.

“Tell him,” said Katja, tears still sliding down her face and into Alex’s hair.

“Alright. Centuries ago, Katja had a son. With the me of that cycle.”

“I remember”, said Avalon.

“You only paid attention to him when Alex was there too,” said Katja. “After she died…”

“I am sorry,” said Avalon. “Truly, I am. If we had been kinder to you then…”

“I was going to take him to you to keep him safe. Is that where you would have kept him?” asked Katja, gesturing at the cage and flicking drops of blood over the cave floor.

“Yes,” said Avalon.

“Maybe that would’ve been better,” said Katja. She pressed her forehead to Alex’s shoulder. “Tell him, Alex. Tell him everything.”

“Garnok recruits Generals by ‘saving’ them,” said Alex. “With the sirens, it was kinder. He just lured them in and made it painful for them to swim away. Like fish hooks. But with Buck, Garnok had to brainwash him.”

“I see,” said Avalon.

“No you don’t,” said Katja, glaring at him. “Tell him everything, Alex.”

“Okay,” said Alex. She took in a deep breath and let it out. “Garnok almost killed Buck. He tortured him for weeks. Whenever Buck was hurt, Garnok would heal him or take away the pain. The goons who were hurting him were being used by Garnok, but Buck didn’t know that. He did at first, but eventually…”

“There was a glamour put on them,” said Katja. “They were made to look like the Soul Riders and the druids. Buck was made to forget about his family, who he was… and to make it all worse, a goon disguised as Alex killed him. I didn’t know that he was immortal until then.”

“They made her watch the whole thing in a cage,” said Alex. “She couldn’t even move until the very end.”

“Garnok was punishing me for fraternising with the enemy,” said Katja. “We could see each other the whole time. He was calling out for me but I couldn’t go to him. I couldn’t even speak. He could see me but he couldn’t hear me. I was screaming and crying. I couldn’t move or use my magic. Eventually, they blocked me off from his sight but I could still see him. And hear him.”

“Garnok truly is capable of unimaginable cruelty,” said Avalon. “I am sorry that you had to go through that, Katja.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Katja. “It’s not even mine. Garnok is the one who did this.”

“Well then, I am sorry that my actions triggered the memory,” said Avalon. “Is that the correct phrasing, Alex?”

“Yes,” said Alex. Her hands rubbed up and down Katja’s back, calming her.

“It’s alright, you didn’t know,” said Katja. “I’ve only told Elizabeth and Alex, and they were sworn to secrecy.” She clung to Alex, still shuddering. She couldn’t stop crying.

“Come on, I’m gonna get you out of here,” said Alex. She helped Katja onto Tin Can, and the two of them galloped away. Stalker followed behind them.

Katja could breathe easier once they were outside and she could no longer smell the cage. She gulped in ragged breaths of fresh air.

“Hey. You okay?” asked Alex, dismounting. Katja stayed where she was, trembling, until Alex pulled her down to sit beside her.

“I’m… better,” said Katja, sitting curled up beside Alex. “Sorry I cried all over you.” She sniffled, tears still falling freely.

“It’s okay. I can’t imagine how screwed up you must be feeling,” said Alex. “Having to relive losing your son every time you see a cage… remind me never to take you to a kennel.”

Katja finally cracked a smile. “Thanks.” She gently kissed Alex, unmindful of the saltiness of her cheeks or of whatever else was on her face. She knew that Alex wouldn’t mind either.


End file.
